Page 27 of Guarded By the Reaper

“He has some errands to run,” I said. “But he’ll be back later, okay?”

Elysia yawned, her eyes half-closed. “Okay,” she mumbled. “Can we watch Moana again?”

And so, our day began. We watched Moana, Elysia singing along to every song, her small voice filling the living room. I made pancakes for breakfast, her favorite, and then we played Candyland until she got bored. I tried teaching her chess, but she declared it boring after only two moves. Maybe another time.

We looked through old photo albums, laughing at pictures of us when Elysia was little. Elysia pointed at a photo of herself as a baby, her big blue eyes wide with wonder.

“I look so funny!” she giggled.

“You were such a cute baby,” I said, my heart aching with a bittersweet mix of love and regret. I traced my finger over the photo, my gaze lingering on Elysia’s tiny features.

There was a whole album dedicated to Elysia’s first year, filled with pictures of her as a newborn – swaddled in blankets,sleeping peacefully in her crib, her tiny fingers wrapped around my thumb. I flipped through the pages, a lump forming in my throat. I remembered those days so clearly, the overwhelming love, the fear, the exhaustion.

My heart skipped a beat when I reached a particular photo. It was me, holding Elysia just moments after she was born. My hair was a mess, my face pale and exhausted, but my eyes were shining with a love so fierce it could have lit up the entire world. And then it hit me. A wave of emotion so strong it nearly knocked me off my feet. I had to look away, my vision blurring with tears.

I excused myself, mumbling something about feeling tired, and hurried upstairs, leaving Elysia engrossed in her dollhouse. The photo album lay open on the coffee table, a reminder of the past I couldn’t escape. I needed to be alone.

My diary was tucked away in my nightstand drawer, its pages filled with my hopes, my fears, my darkest secrets. Secrets I’d never dared to utter aloud. Picking up my pen, I flipped to a fresh page.

I was lost in my thoughts, scribbling away in my diary, when a sound from outside caught my attention. Laughter. Elysia’s laughter.

My heart skipped a beat. I rushed to the window, my eyes scanning the rose garden below. There she was, my little sister, chasing after a bright blue butterfly. Her giggles floated up to me, carefree and innocent. But then I saw it. A Poppet, its misshapen form barely hidden behind a rose bush. My blood ran cold.

I bolted from my room, running down the stairs so fast I was in real danger of stumbling and breaking my neck. My bare feet slapped against the hardwood as I raced to the back door. I burst outside, my eyes locked on Elysia.

“Elysia!” I called.

She turned, her smile fading as she saw my expression. I scooped her up, ignoring her protests, and ran back into the house. Once inside, I set her down, my hands shaking as I locked the door. I turned to face her, my heart pounding.

“What were you thinking?” I asked, my voice coming out harsher than I intended. “I told you not to go outside!”

Elysia’s face crumpled, her lower lip trembling. “I just wanted to play,” she said.

“It’s not safe out there,” I insisted, running a hand through my hair. “You can’t just–”

“Why?” Elysia interrupted, her voice rising. “Why isn’t it safe? You keep saying there’s a virus, but I was all alone in the garden! How could I get sick like that? It makes no sense!”

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. What could I say?

“And why is Grim really here?” she continued, her face flushed with anger. “He’s not just a guest, is he? What’s really going on, Millie?”

I stared at her, speechless. How had she picked up on so much?

“Elysia, I–” I started, but the words died in my throat. I couldn’t tell her the truth. I couldn’t burden her with the knowledge of what I’d done and what was coming.

Elysia’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re lying to me,” she said, her voice breaking. “I hate you!” She turned and ran up the stairs, her sobs echoing through the house.

I stood there, frozen, her words ringing in my ears.“I hate you.”They played on repeat in my mind, each repetition like a knife to my heart. I started pacing, my thoughts a jumbled mess. How had things gotten so complicated? I was just trying to protect her, to give her a chance at life. But at what cost? I pulled out my phone, my finger hovering over Grim’s number. Should I call him? Tell him about the Poppet in the garden?

No, I decided, putting the phone away. Nothing had actually happened. We were both safe inside now. Besides, Grim had more important things to worry about. He was out there, trying to find a way to save me. To save us.

I sank onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. I’d always prided myself on being honest, on seeing the good in the world and in people. But now? Now I was lying to the person I loved most in the world. The weight of my secrets pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe. I wanted nothing more than to run upstairs, gather Elysia in my arms, and tell her everything. To explain why I’d made the deal with Ma-Vasha, why Grim was really here, why we couldn’t leave the house. But I couldn’t. The truth would crush her. How could I tell her that when I found out she was dying, I’d traded my soul for her life?

I thought back to the photo album we’d looked at earlier. The picture of me holding Elysia just after she was born. I remembered that moment so clearly – the overwhelming love, the fierce protectiveness. I’d known then that I’d do anything for her. And that was exactly what I’d done, wasn’t it? I’d given up everything for her. My future, my life, my soul. But was it worth it if it meant losing her trust? If it meant that after I was gone, she’d spend the rest of her life hating me?

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to steady myself. This was for the best, I reminded myself. Elysia’s anger, her distrust – it was a small price to pay for her life. I just had to stay strong, to stick to the plan. Survive until Lady Mews recovered, and then... then I’d face whatever came next.

A tiny spark of hope flickered in my chest. Maybe, just maybe, Grim would find a solution. He’d promised to try, after all. And there was something about him, something that made me want to believe in the impossible. For now, I had to focus on keeping Elysia safe, even if she hated me for it. In the end, her life was all that mattered.

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